To Steal or To Earn a Heart?
by The Ever-Dreaming Kitten
Summary: A short story for Duke and Mal. I hope people still like this couple. I own nothing.


**I've re-written this story, but there are minor changes, FYI. Please enjoy and God Jehovah bless.**

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 **To Steal or To Earn a Heart?**

A terrifying night happened in the town of Anaheim, for a member of the Mighty Ducks Mallory McMallard had been seduced in poisonous smoke by the Saurians who were thankfully stopped from using any more of those toxic fumes courtesy of the rest of the Ducks.

Of course the heroes couldn't celebrate because of their unconscious sick teammate whom Duke feared for most as he held her protectively in his wings when he carried her into the Migrator and he held her during the whole ride back to the Pond. Once they had arrived as quickly as possible, they all ran straight for the infirmary where Duke gently placed her on the medicom bed for Tanya to create an antidote for her to drink so to stop the poison from taking its toll on her.

The gang were all relieved to know Mallory was going to pull through, none happier than Duke who sat by her bedside for the night, never wanting to leave her.

As he stared at her unconscious form, the images of her being hit by the poisonous smoke kept replaying in his mind, making his heart twist tightly. The reason he felt the most afraid was because of what he was feeling for the past months about this spirited redhead.

Though Mallory and Duke had trust issues in the beginning, they started to finally get along better. However, Duke was feeling more than a better friendship because the more he got to know her, the more he was admiring her fiery strength, kindness and passion.

It was clear to see he was enthralled with her, but the thing was: Despite earning her trust, he doubted that he had a chance with her. Mostly, it was because she would think of him as an embarrassment to have as her lover, being an ex-thief.

As proud as he was of his skills, he hated his reputation because of this. If there was one thing he wanted to steal now, it was Mallory's heart which seemed beyond his reach. However, as crazy as it would have sounded to anyone else, he was still going to love her even if she would never return his feelings.

As he remained by her side, she was looking beautiful in her sleep. Then again, even when she was awake, she was always beautiful. She was a shining gem and she most definitely rocks in his opinion.

The more he stared, the harder it was to resist touching her. So he reached his left hand to stroke her soft red hair, never stopping for several seconds. When he did seize his caressing, he looked at his left hand, feeling the guilty pleasure that he truthfully wasn't sorry for. The rest of the night, Duke rested his arms on the edge of the bed and laid his head down on his arms, sleeping in the infirmary.

The next morning, Mallory's eyes fluttered for her to discover she was waking up in the infirmary instead of her bunk. When she thought back to what happened to her, she remembered being hit by that poisonous smoke and suffered the worst time of her life.

She also recalled someone holding her protectively in their arms, but who? She sat up and found to her surprise Duke's head on her bed. She wondered, did he stay with her all night? If he did, then he must've been really worried... Did that mean that he carried her in his arms so delicately?

The thought of that amazed her. Duke being concerned for her like that? She had known he was liking her better, but to hold her like that? As she looked at him, there was something about his slumbering face that brought a new feeling inside her. A feeling she had never felt before.

She began to wonder if it was love. She knew it had to be. She had been admiring his character more than usual lately when she finally learned to trust him, his honesty and loyalty and bravery.

It was official, she was having a thing for him. Still, she wondered how it would work. She knew he liked her better, but would he like-like her? She wanted to know, but how would she bring it up?

When she looked away to think about this, she thought about how close to death she was last night. She knew if she had died, she never would've told him how she felt, so she knew now it meant she needed to seize the opportunity or else she would never get the chance again. What did she have to lose?

Duke began to stir, covering his yawn. His tired eyes looked in Mallory's direction, then his grogginess went away when he saw her sitting up. "Hey, you're awake."

"Yeah, I just came around a minute ago," Mallory replied, looking at her lap.

"How do ya feel?" Duke asked concernedly.

"Just fine. Much better than last night," Mallory said bluntly. "What happened last night, anyway?"

"After ya passed out, we took the poisonous smoke out of the Saurians' hands, then we came here to help you. Tanya gave ya an antidote, so you'll be okay."

"That's a relief," Mallory exhaled. "That poisonous smoke was the worst."

"Don't worry, it won't eva happen again," Duke comforted, laying his left hand on her right hand, his touch like static electricity to Mallory who looked at his hand. When she did, Duke thought maybe she wasn't liking it, so he gently took his hand away from her and cleared his throat. "Uh, Tanya also says you need to lie down today 'cause ya need more time until you can feel yer hundred percent."

"Great, bed rest," Mallory muttered with a sour look.

Duke grinned, his eyes closed. "Sorry, sweetheart. Dr. Vanderflock's orders."

To hear him call her sweetheart brought a new feeling of happiness to Mallory. Normally, she wouldn't give much thought about it, but now she was liking it more than usual. In fact, she thought now would be a good time to speak to him since they were alone.

"So ya need anythin' before I leave ya alone?" Duke offered, standing up.

"Yeah..." Mallory replied, motioning her right hand to the chair Duke had near her bed the whole night. "Sit back down," she requested calmly.

Duke was confused, but he did as she asked and waited for what else she wanted. Mallory glanced away, wondering how to say this. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she spoke.

"Duke...as you know, you and I weren't the best of friends when we first met, but lately we've been gettin' along great and... Well..." Mallory sighed, running her left hand through her hair. "I'm not good at saying these things, but to put it simply, you've been becoming someone very important to me."

Duke's face turned red to hear her say that. "...I am?"

"Yeah..." Mallory answered, glancing away, reluctant to look at him. "You...you're..." Mallory growled in her mind from this hesitation. "Oh, heck with it." She reached her right hand to his shirt.

Though she gently pulled him to her, it happened so fast for Duke whose eyes were wide as geese eggs when she planted a kiss on his left cheek. His face felt even hotter and Mallory was also blushing as she pulled herself away from Duke and let go of his shirt.

Duke touched his cheek, still feeling the kiss on there. That small but sweet, sweet kiss on his own face. Then he was finally getting Mallory's message. "Mal...you mean to tell me..."

Mallory nodded, not making eye contact.

Duke couldn't believe it. He asked himself if he was still sleeping, but this heat on his face, and the kiss he had received, it all felt too real to be a dream. Duke looked at Mallory whose face turned from his. He grinned and slipped his left hand under her chin and gently turned her head in his direction as he leaned forward to kiss her forehead to her astonishment.

Duke didn't let go of her chin as he deeply kissed every spot on her forehead, Mallory too stunned to move, not that she wanted to as every kiss took away all of her strength, meaning she was held captive in his rapture. A willing, overjoyed captive who closed her eyes as she let this continue.

When Duke stopped, he looked at a dazed Mallory who slowly opened her eyes to look at Duke who grinned at her. "So...I take it you feel the same way?" Mallory joked with the happiest grin Duke had ever seen on her gorgeous face.

Duke nodded, never taking his hand off her chin. "I never thought you'd feel anything special for me, though," he confessed.

"Well...you are a special guy. After all, you've become someone people can be proud of."

Never in his life did Duke hear someone call him that and he appreciated it more than anything.

Duke's arms wrapped around Mallory who found herself trapped in his embrace. The priceless, invaluable thing he wanted most, the one and only thing he wanted to steal, Mallory's heart...it finally belonged to him. Although, a part of him said that he most likely earned her heart...and that was even better in his opinion.

Duke's right hand slipped from Mallory's back to behind her head that he gently tilted backwards to see her curious face. He leaned down and captured her beak in a long kiss that Mallory completely gave into as she slithered her right hand on the middle of his back as her left hand found itself touching the small hair on the nape of his neck.

Duke then took his beak off Mallory who panted softly, then he kissed her left cheek to her temple, weakening Mallory by second with this elation, and that had to take a lot of work to make this military girl weak.

Duke then tilted her head up, Mallory looking with blissful dizzy eyes at the ceiling as she felt Duke kissing her thin neck, his right hand gently combing her short crimson locks. As he kept this up, Mallory was starting to feel very tired as her head that Duke had leaning backwards felt heavier to his notice.

He grinned as he thought now was a good time to help her sleep so she would feel completely better later. He kissed her neck to tire her out some more, kissing every spot deeply, taking all energy from her system until Mallory couldn't stay awake any longer and she fell under his spell and went fast asleep just as he had planned.

Duke stopped kissing her neck and looked at her slumbering face, his left hand stroking her right cheek as he memorized her flawless facial features before he carefully put her against her bed and brought the comforter to her shoulders.

Mallory stirred a little, so Duke stroked her hair to lull her back to sleep. Mallory gave into his luxurious touch and fell asleep again.

Duke smiled in satisfaction and gently kissed her forehead for a long time. "Sleep well, sweetheart."


End file.
